Three lucky winners of our recent Kamui: The Lone Ninja DVD competition should be receiving their copy in the post in the next few days! We had over 140 entries this time, so thank you to all that entered, and if you didn’t win this time do stayed tuned – we’ll be running more competitions soon…
A very enjoyable manga adaption from director Yoichi Sai (Blood And Bones) and starring Ken’ichi Matsuyama (L Change The WorLd, Bare Essence Of Life), but ‘probably the best ninja movie ever’… what, really? (more…)
We have three copies of Kamui – “probably the best ninja movie ever made” – on DVD up for grabs in our easy-to-enter giveaway! (more…)
“PROBABLY THE BEST NINJA MOVIE EVER MADE.” – TONY RAYNS
Based on the legendary multi-volume manga series created by Japanese artist and essayist Sanpei Shirato in 1964, directed by Yoichi Sai (Blood And Bones; Doing Time; All Under The Moon) and scripted by Sai and Kankuro Kudo (Zebraman; Ping Pong; Go), Kamui: The Lone Ninja comes to the screen as a live-action, special effects-laden extravaganza that perfectly captures the spirit and flavour of Shirato’s original vision.
A high-spirited adventure involving deadly ninjas, fierce warrior clans, treacherous pirates and fearless shark hunters, Kamui: The Lone Ninja boasts a star-studded cast that features some of Asian cinema’s hottest talent, including Ken’ichi Matsuyama (the Death Note trilogy), Koyuki (Blood: The Last Vampire; Kitaro), Koichi Sato (Sukiyaki Western Django; Starfish Hotel), Ekin Cheng (Storm Warriors; Divergence), Yuta Kanai (Death Note: L Change The World) and Suzuka Ohgo (Memoirs Of A Geisha).
It is 17th century Japan and from a young age Kamui has been considered something of an outcast, even within his own ninja clan. Disillusioned with the laws and principles, which dictate that he must use his skills to kill others, Kamui chooses to leave his past behind him and go in search of true freedom. But for a ninja liberation comes at a price and the only way to escape the bonds of the ninja brotherhood is to die.
Now a fugitive on the run from his clan, who are determined to hunt him down and eliminate him for his betrayal, Kamui finds himself constantly fighting for his life and unable to trust anyone. He eventually finds some solace when he meets an indomitable fisherman who saves his life and invites him to settle with his family. Unexpectedly, the arrangement brings Kamui face to face with a long-forgotten nemesis of his, another renegade ninja with a deadly score to settle. Meanwhile, the ninja army hunting Kamui is setting a trap from which there can be no escape…
Remaining faithful to its source material, Kamui: The Lone Ninja is a thrilling fantasy-adventure, full of martial arts action and spectacular set-pieces that vividly bring Sanpei Shirato’s unique manga images to life in dazzling style.
Kamui: The Lone Ninja (cert. 15) will be released on DVD (£15.99) and Blu-ray (£19.99) by Manga Entertainment on 9th August 2010.
Nope, not that Blood but the latest film from Shinobi director Ten Shimoyama – there’s still plenty of vampires, blades and kung fu, though… (more…)
Ghost In The Shell director Mamoru Oshii returns with a typically cerebral but nonetheless spellbinding gaze at an alternative future where eternally young fighter pilots clash in a seemingly endless and pointless war… (more…)
A solid, good looking action film with great fight sequences by choreographer Corey Yuen, but plot inconsistencies and a baffling conclusion don’t make the best for Chris Nahon’s live-action adaption… (more…)
This week sees the start of the Barbican’s annual festival focusing on the best of Korean cinema by presenting a brand new batch of box office hits, independent features and animated films from the country. Highlights this year include an exclusive Opening Night Gala Screening of the Director’s Cut of Park Chan-wook’s vampire thriller Thirst (some 10 minutes longer than the theatrical release currently screening), which will be introduced by the director himself, plus a screening of Yang Ik-june’s impressive debut feature, Breathless, followed by a Q&A session with Yang. The London Korean Film Festival 2009 will be held at the Barbican from 5th to 12th November.
» For full details, visit the Barbican website.
For Korean film fans, particularly of Park Chan-wook’s back catalogue, then this week sees the release of several notable films from Palisades Tartan on Blu-ray for the first time, including Sympathy For Mr Vengeance and Lady Vengeance, alongside Kim Jee-woon’s A Tale Of Two Sisters, recently remade as The Uninvited. (Not to be confused with the Korean film of the same name, also recently re-released by Palisades… Oh, don’t get me started!)
There’s also the DVD and Blu-ray release of the live-action version of Blood: The Last Vampire – and don’t forget you can still win a copy of the DVD here! The original animation is also released by Manga on Blu-ray today.
And if you still can’t get enough of Samurai sword slinging gore, then there’s Samurai Princess, from the creators of Tokyo Gore Police. Set in an alternative version of feudal Japan, a pair of human-android hybrids is on the rampage raping, torturing and dismembering young women in the name of “art”. Directed by Kengo Kaji (co-writer of Tokyo Gore Police), featuring special effects produced by director and FX wizard Yoshihiro Mishimura (Tokyo Gore Police, Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl) and starring adult video star Aino Kishi.
(…phew! I think that’s it for this week’s releases?)
To celebrate the release of Blood: The Last Vampire on DVD and Blu-ray, we have three copies to give away… (more…)
Just time for a quick round-up of other notable releases to look out for in the UK in the next few months:
Wilson Yip and Donnie Yen’s latest collaboration – following S.P.L., Flashpoint and Dragon Tiger Gate –Ip Man, gets released in selected cinemas from 5 October. Celebrating the life of the Wing Chun master who taught a young Bruce Lee his first kun fu lessons, the impressive action choerography by Sammo Hung follows the close-range fighting particular to the style. Look out for a review and, hopefully, interviews soon…
John Woo’s fab return to form, Red Cliff, makes its way onto DVD and Blu-ray on 5 October courtesy of Entertainment In Video. Out the following week, 12 October, comes the DVD and Blu-ray release of the live-action version Blood: The Last Vampire.
Yukihiko Tsutsumi’s second film in his live-action adaption of 20th Century Boys, Chapter 2, also makes its way on to UK DVD, but be prepared for the wait – it’s not until 31 December 2009!
From the producers of The Machine Girl and the effects and makeup supervisor of Meatball Machine and The Machine Girl, director Yoshihiro Nishimura, comes the latest Japanese splatter-fest that’s already built up a cult following on the festival circuit. Does it live up to its title? What do you think…? (more…)
Chris Nahon’s live-action remake of anime Blood: The Last Vampire comes to DVD and Blu-ray on 12 October 2009, released by Manga. Detalis TBC.
Well done to everyone who entered our Blood: The Last Vampire competition. Five lucky entrants will be winning a t-shirt and DVD of the original Anime, with five other entrants geting just the t-shirt. You’ll be receiving your prizes in the post soon…
For those that missed out, don’t fear, we’ll have another competition soon – so stay tuned!
Some very lucky readers will get their copy of Kim Jee-woon’s fantastic The Good, The Bad, The Weird on Blu-ray in the next few days. And don’t forget, there’s still time to enter our competition and you can win an exclusive Blood: The Last Vampire t-shirt and this original Anime version on DVD!
We were just talking about that subway scene from the original Anime, weren’t we? And here is the new version – the opening clip from Chris Nahon’s live-action remake starring Gianna Jun. As you can’t have missed, Blood: The Last Vampire opens in UK cinemas tomorrow… Check it out, pretty close, but with a new twist. Enjoy!
(I promise – next week I won’t mention Blood. Not once…honest!)
With the upcoming release of the live-action version, what better time to revisit the original that started it all… (more…)
